Rome is a young, brash state, full of the joy of burgeoning civilization, determined to make its mark on the brave new world. A vital, urban nation, full of engineers, scientists, innovators and strategists, Rome is a place where any young man or woman with sufficient brains and ballsiness can rise to high office. It is a military power whose armed might is the equal of any of the barbarian nations who might challenge its dominance. And it is also a young and tender republic balancing on the knife-edge between oligarchy and democracy.